Kids of all ages are guaranteed to have fun exploring the world of puppetry at our Puppet Show and Workshop! Participants will watch a puppet show, then be able to let their imaginations run wild as they make their own puppets! Maggie Bogdanich and Sarah Banach from Hem Haw See & Saw Puppet Troup will be leading the fun.

Come early! Kidsburgh representatives from The Sprout Fund and Hear Me will be on hand starting at 1:00 p.m. to interview and film visitors and participants!

This event is FREE and open to all. Registration is requested (so we know how many to plan for) and can be done HERE!

If you’re not yet familiar with the “Maker” movement as it relates to children, it is simply a push in modern culture to facilitate and encourage learning through creativity. Some liken it to the DIY culture, but for children, it is so much more! Maker opportunities, like those offered at the Millvale Community Library, give participants the chance to explore and create, without barriers. Raw materials are provided, along with gentle guidance and encouragement, allowing our “makers” to let their imaginations run wild, while learning about science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (commonly referred to as STEAM education).

Millvale Community Library (MCL) is excited to be named a Maker Corps Host Site for Summer, 2014! One of only 35 Maker Education Initiative Host Sites nationally, MCL looks to expand its current maker program (made possible by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh) to include a more vivacious maker space, a tool lending library, and to foster relationships between makers of all ages by developing a partnership with the Open Floor Maker Space, a neighboring collective of skilled craftsmen in various disciplines.

As part of our exciting expansion of our Maker activities, the MCL will be welcoming two Maker Corps members to our family! Online applications are now being accepted for these positions!

For more information on the job opportunities, the Maker Education Initiative, and the maker movement in general, please follow the links below!

If you are like me, and grew up in the Pittsburgh area in the ’70s and ’80s, you know what those words meant…DiCesare-Engler Productions was bringing the latest and greatest of Rock and Roll to the Civic Arena, the Stanley Theater, or maybe the Syria Mosque. I, like many teenagers, would make a mental note of the time it was being announced, and make sure I was tuned in to WDVE to hear the exciting news!

Well, we’ve got our own “Major Concert Announcement!” The Millvale Community Library, with promotional support from Mr. Smalls Theater, is proud to bring Legendary Pittsburgh Concert Promoter, Rich Engler, to the Millvale Community Library on Saturday, March 1, 2014. From 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Rich will be on-hand to sign autographs, take photos with visitors, share part of his extensive collection of concert memorabilia, and promote his new book, Behind the Stage Door! Rich’s book will be available for purchase at the event, and pre-orders will be taken in advance at the Library. Copies can also be purchased at select Giant Eagle stores, Pittsburgh Guitars on the Southside, and Cuttings in Sewickly, and on Rich’s website, www.richengler.com.

With the wind howling and temps below 0°F, it is hard to think about anything but the cold! But our thoughts are definitely focused on Spring. One thing that we are excited to share with you about this coming Spring is a new partnership we’ve developed with Edible Earth Farm, an USDA Certified Organic farm in nearby Tionesta, PA!

Beginning with the 2014 season, Millvale Community Library will be an official distribution site for Edible Earth’s 2014 CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Program. Edible Earth’s farm direct CSA “offers the freshest ingredients with minimal handling…and includes a wide variety of certified organic products” for its members. Deliveries are made once a week, starting in mid-June, and continue for 20 weeks! For more information, check out Edible Earth Farm’s website at http://www.edibleearthfarm.com and get your farm-fresh produce delivered straight to your favorite library!

C’mon down this Saturday and help to decorate the MCL Holiday Tree! Make an ornament, string some lights, have some cider! If you can’t join us Saturday, maybe you’ll want to join in some of the other activities happening this month!

November is the time of year when we reflect upon all of the things for which we are thankful. There are so many reasons to be thankful for Millvale Community Library! Here are just a few:

First, we are happy that we can continue providing our patrons with programs such as Book Babies, Reading Readiness, the Kid’s Knitting Club, Maker Thursdays with the Children’s Museum, the Writer’s Workshop, and our GED Prep classes. Days and times for these programs are shown on the calendar above.

Second, we are very excited to bring three new programs to you this month…

The Harry Potter Book Club is happening every Tuesday, at 7:00 p.m. This one hour program is designed for both first-time Harry Potter readers and those who have read the books before. All ages are welcome as we explore the wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter. Lively discussion, movies, HP-themed events, and fun are all part of this weekly event. New members are always welcome!

Free Tutoring happens on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thanks to a very special arrangement with Shaler Area School District, Americorp Teachers will be providing free tutoring in a “study hall” type of setting at the MCL.

Introductory Computer classes will be offered at the MCL after regular library hours on Thursdays, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A volunteer from the North Hills Community Outreach will be on hand to teach basic introductory classes in computers, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel during the month of November, and the Internet on December 5. Registration for these classes is required, as space is VERY limited. To register, please call the Millvale Community Library at 412-822-7081 or send an email to millvalelibrary@gmail.com.

Third, we are thrilled to sponsor a very cool program on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. …

Lincoln at theLibraryCelebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address with “Lincoln at the Library” on Saturday, November 16th starting at 11am. Hear Jack Puglisi, a local history buff who has read 34 biographies pertaining to Lincoln, tell lively stories about Abe and the Civil War.

“Abe” will then make surprise visits at various local businesses throughout the day.
You might even see him eating a late lunch “at the Lincoln!” (Pamela’s Diner in the Lincoln Pharmacy)

The celebration will end with “Lincoln on Lincoln” as he delivers the Gettysburg Address at Mr. Small’s Theatre at 3:00 p.m. Let’s all come out to hear one of the most inspiring speeches in history come to life!

At the MCL, we are most thankful for you, our patrons! We hope that you can come out and join us for some of these exciting programs and events happening at the Millvale Community Library in November!

October is shaping up to be an action-packed month here at the Millvale Community Library! Check out this month’s calendar, then look below for more information on the upcoming events!

Maker Thursdays! Every Thursday is Maker Thursday at the MCL! The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh will be on hand throughout the day EVERY Thursday to help you get your creative juices flowing. Fiber arts, woodworking, electronics, computers, and much more are available for experimenting, creating, and making! All ages are welcome.

Autumn House Press presents…An evening with author, Sarah Gerkensmeyer!Friday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m.: Join us in welcoming critically acclaimed author, Sarah Gerkensmeyer, to the MCL. Ms. Gerkensmeyer will be sharing stories from her book, What you are now Enjoying. For more information about Ms. Gerkensmeyer and her book, visit:http://www.autumnhouse.org/what-you-are-now-enjoying-stories-by-sarah-gerkensmeyer/

MCL Solar Tour! Saturday, October 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.: Come and check out our new Solar Rooftop! Find out about solar energy and see it in action at the Millvale Community Library. Solar prizes will be given out throughout the day, and attendees can participate in solar printmaking and watch solar car races! Guaranteed fun for the whole family.

Jam2Jam! Saturday, October 19, from 7:00 to 10:30 p.m. Join us for this exciting evening of literature, music, and art. (Fee: $5 at the door)

Knitting Club: Tuesdays, October 1 and 15, 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Whether you are new to knitting or a trained professional, this is your chance to knit with friends. We will be learning traditional knitting as well as loom knitting! Come learn, brush-up, practice, or just relax with other knitters! All Ages!

Young Adult/Teen Book Club: Tuesdays from 7-8 p.m.The Young Adult/Teen Book Club is back October 1! The book selection for this session is Kurt Vonnegut’s SlaughterhouseFive. A few copies of the book will be available, but please feel free to bring your own!

Mom-led Toddler Storytime: Tuesdays, beginning October 8 at 2:00 p.m. Moms, this is your chance to meet other moms and toddlers who share your passion for books! Join in the fun as moms share their favorite children’s stories with the kids.

GED Prep Classes: Every Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information or to register, click here!

Keep an eye out for these upcoming programs and events…

Harry Potter Party! Date/Time TBA

Adult Introduction to Computers and Introduction to the Internet classes! Dates/Times TBA.